This cemetery contains 3576 Great War burials here, of which 2408 (two thirds) are unidentified. There are a small number of Second World War burials here too.

This cemetery is actually still in use today, occasionally for groups of graves which have to be moved from other locations for various reasons, and also it is where the remains of soldiers who continue to be found in the region are buried.

Of the 1185 named burials 1 Officer and 4 other ranks are soldiers of the 1st Battalion, killed in 1914.

1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment

Officers, N.C.O.s and Men of the 1st Battalion, Buried in Cement House Cemetery

All of the men named below were awarded the 1914 Star (with "clasps and roses"), the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

... about how to get to Cement House Cemetery and other information

Lieutenant Charles Arthur CAMPBELL

Date of Death:

24 August 1914 (Killed in Action)

Grave No:

XVIII.A.18..

Unit:

'D' Company

Age:

23

Personal History:

Charles was born in London on 3 June 1891, the son of Arthur and Annabella Campbell of Wye House, Downview Rd., West Worthing, Sussex. He had a younger brother, Cyril, born in 1892.

Charles was educated at Downside School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where the 1911 Census (RG 14/6684) has him listed as a 'Gentleman Cadet'. He does not appear to have been married as it is his father who, in 1917, is requesting his medals to be sent to him.

Military History:

Currently his Army records are unavailable, and do not appear to have survived the Second World War bombing. Charles was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment on 11 October 1911 and promoted Lieutenant in April 1914. At the outbreak of the War he was serving in Ireland with the 1st Battalion.

Photographs show him at the Consecration of the Regimental Chapel in Chester in 1912 (ringed, below left). Two places to his right is Capt. Hugh Irving St. John HARTFORD (killed in action 22 October 1914) and next to him is Capt. Lionel Archibald FORSTER, who died as a Prisoner of War on 4 November 1914.

Shortly before the Regiment left Londonderry in August 1914, Lieutenant Campbell was photographed (ringed, above right) again with Captain Hartford (bottom left) and in the centre at the back is the Regimental Transport Officer, Lieutenant Thomas Laurence FROST, killed in action 28 March 1915.

Lance Corporal 7474 William F. BONE (A.R.)

Date of Death:

24 August 1914 (Killed in Action)

Grave No:

XVIII.A.25

Unit:

'C' Company

Age:

28

Personal History:

William was born in Congleton, Cheshire in February 1886, the eldest son of James and Ellen Bone of Oak Cottages, Styal, Cheshire. He had 5 younger siblings, Percy, Frank, Harold, Edith and Mabel. (1901 Census 13/3320)

At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a Blacksmith's Striker. When he joined the Cheshires he was 5' 4¼" tall (1.63 m.), weighed 112 lbs. (8 st. 0lbs.) had a 'fresh' complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. His religion was Wesleyan Methodist.

George married Edith May Hyde, at the Church of the Ascension, Lower Broughton, Lancaster, on 7 April 1910. The 1911 Census (RG 14/23990) shows the family living at 1 Chestnut Street, Broughton, Salford, and William is employed as a "Railway Shunter" for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co.

Before the War they were living at Harmsworth Street, Seedley, Salford, Lancashire. George and Edith had two children James Harry (b. 17 Nov. 1910) & Percy William (b. 23 Nov. 1911) and with effect from 26 April 1915 she was awarded and Army pension of 18/6d (£0.925) per week for all of them. The family later moved to of 10 Forge Terrace, Ketley, Wellington, Shropshire.

Military History:

William originally enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment at Stockport on 4 April 1904, aged 18 years 1 month. His original terms of service were 3 + 9 (i.e. 3 years active service + 9 years reserve). He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion on 15 June 1904 and was posted to Wellington Barracks, Lichfield on September 22nd. He was re-assigned to the 1st Battalion on 15 November 1904.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal (unpaid) on 14 May 1906 and paid from 29 August 1906. He transferred to the Army Reserve after 3 years on 3 April 1907, and returned to live at 5 Lower Park Street, Congleton, Cheshire. From subsequent newspaper reports (see below) he remained an active Reservists in the 5th Battalion.

His Medal Index Card shows that as a reservist he was recalled to the Regiment at the outbreak of War and entered France on 16 August 1914. He was reported missing from the Battalion at Audregnies on 24th August. Evidence of his death was received by the W.O. from an "unofficial source" (identity disc). In all he served a period of 10 years 143 days with the Regiment.

Private 8019 William JONES (A.R.)

Date of Death:

30 August 1914 (Died of wounds)

Grave No:

XVIII.A.20.

Unit:

'D' Company

Age:

n/k

Personal History:

William was born in St Martin's Parish, Hereford and at the time of his recall as a Reservist at the outbreak of War was living in Hereford. Having such a common name it has not been possible to identify his family any further.

Military History:

Currently his Army records are unavailable, probably destroyed by Second World War bombing. All that is known is that he enlisted at Chester. His Medal Index Card shows that he entered France on 16th August 1914 and died of wounds on 30th August.

William was one of the 213 names of Officers, NCOs and men reported Killed, Wounded or Missing in the actions of 24th & 26th August, reported in the War Diary, and most likely died of wounds received at Audregnies on the 24th. If this is the case evidence from other casualties suggests that William would have been treated originally at Wiheries Hospital and was originally nearby to where he died. His current grave location in Plot XVIII shows that he has subsequently been re-interred.

Almost 500 French graves in the original Plots XVI, XVII and XVIII were removed in 1922 and the space vacated has been filled in the intervening years by graves brought in from communal cemeteries and churchyards in the area when their maintenance in these locations could no longer be assured.

Private 8315 Frederick Edward THORPE (A.R.)

Date of Death:

29 August 1914 (Died of wounds)

Grave No:

XVIII.A.21

Unit:

'D' Company

Age:

n/k (25 or 26 ?)

Personal History:

Fred was born in St Anne's, Manchester in October 1884 (according to his Service Record). He had a sister, Bertha, who was named as his only next of kin. Beyond that it has not been possible to determine his parents' names. As Bertha was named next-of-kin it does not seem likely that Fred married.

At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a 'Salesman'. He was 5' 8½" tall (1.74 m.), weighed 139 lbs. (9 stone 13lbs) had a 'fresh' complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His stated religion was Church of England.

Military History:

Fred enlisted at Birkenhead, Cheshire on 5th November 1906, aged 22 years 0 months. At the time he was already serving with the 3rd Battalion South Lancs. Regiment. His terms of service were 7 + 5 (i.e. 7 years active service + 5 years reserve). He was posted to the 1st Battalion on 8th February 1907, and promoted to Lance Corporal (unpaid) on 29th May 1907 (paid from 5th July). Two years later, on 13th July 1909, he was made up to full Corporal before being transferred to the 2nd Battalion for a tour of duty commencing on 22nd February 1910.

He reverted to Private on 7th October 1910 and 2 days later was posted back to the 1st Battalion. Fred ended his service and was transferred to the Army Reserve 'B' List on 5th November 1913 (List 'A' 2 weeks later). He had attained a 2nd Class Certificate of Education in March 1907, and passed his training for inclusion in the Mounted Infantry at Longmoor Camp, Hampshire, on 1st February 1912.

His Medal Index Card shows that as a Reservist he was recalled to the Regiment at the outbreak of War and entered France on the 16th August 1914 and died of wounds on 29th August.

Fred was reported missing on 24th August, following the Battalion's heroic stand at Audregnies. His records state he received a "perforating wound of the lungs" and was taken prisoner and admitted to the 'ambulance of St Bernard's Boarding School, Audregnies' where he subsequently died on the 29th. (War Office Form: B 103, January 1915)

Private 7606 Edmund Ernest TRENT (A.R.)

Date of Death:

24 August 1914 (Killed in Action)

Grave No:

XVIII.A.24

Unit:

'B' Company

Age:

30

Personal History:

Edmund was born in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset in July 1884 (registered in the December quarter). He was the eldest son of 16 children of Edmund Childs and Emily Jane Trent. Edmund had an older sister, Beatrice, and his younger siblings were Ethel, Gedeon, Daisy, Elsie, Cecil, Gilbert, William, Percy, Kathleen, Grace and Gwendoline (plus three more who died). In 1901 the family were living at Victoria Crescent, Branksome, Dorset. (1901 Census 13/1978). By 1911 (RG 14/12286) the enlarged family had moved to Hazelmere Warren Road, Parkstone, Dorset. The Census records Edmund's occupation as 'Grocers Storeman'.

At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a 'Carter'. He was 5' 6" tall (1.68 m.), weighed 129 lbs. (9 stone 3lbs) had a 'fresh' complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. His stated religion was Wesleyan Methodist.

Edmund married Edith Jane Burt on 29th September 1913 at Kingston, Dorset and they lived at Chapel House, East St., Corfe Castle, Dorset. He had one son, Edmund Arthur, born on 23rd September 1914 - just one month after Edmund was killed. On 23rd June 1915 Edith received notification of a pension of 15/- (75p) per week, with effect from 26th April, for herself and their child.

Military History:

Edmund enlisted at Poole, Dorset on 20th June 1904, aged 19 years 11 months. At the time he was already serving with the 3rd Battalion South Lancs. Regiment. His terms of service were 3 + 9 (i.e. 3 years active service + 9 years reserve). On 20th June 1904 he arrived in Chester and then was posted to Aldershot on 19th August and on to Lichfield on 20th September.

On 26th December 1905 he was posted to India, returning home on 1st May 1907. He received on Good Conduct Badge.

His Medal Index Card shows that as a Reservist he was recalled to the Regiment at the outbreak of War and entered France on the 16th August 1914 and was reported missing on 24th August following the Battalion's heroic stand at Audregnies, where he fought on the left of the line under Captain Shore. He was later deemed to have been killed in action "on or since" that date. In total he had served 10 years 66 days with the Regiment.

Three of the men buried here were killed during the action at Audregnies on 24th August (Lieutenant Campbell, L/Cpl. Bone and Pt. Trent) whilst the other two (Privates Jones and Thorpe) died of wounds a few days later, undoubtedly as a result of the same action.

Use the links on the left to read a little more about each man and see where he is buried.

Click on image to see full medal set

.... use this link to get a full list of all Soldiers buried in this Cemetery

William Bone is also commemorated on the Ketley War Memorial

As the articles reproduced below show, there was some doubt originally whether Pt. Bone had been killed and it was thought (or hoped) that he had been taken prisoner, along with so many of his comrades, but confirmation came later:

The Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 21 October 1914:

"STYAL SOLDIER MISSING. In the list of missing belonging to the 1st Cheshire Regiment who have been missing since 23rd and 24th August, the days of the fighting at Mons, is Lance Corporal William Bone, of Harmsworth Street, Seedley, son of Mr James Bone of Styal. Lance Corporal Bone went with the Expeditionary Force, and was engaged in the early days of the war. His many friends in Styal hope that he is one of the prisoners in the concentrated camp in Germany. Mr Bone is married and has two children."

The Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser 2 April 1915

"Lance Corporal William Bourne (sic), of whom nothing has been heard since the Battle of Mons, is the son of Mr James Bourne (sic), of Oak Cottages, Styal. He was a reservist in the 5th Cheshires, but when called up on the outbreak of the war was transferred to the 1st Cheshires. He is a married man, and has a wife and two children, both boys, living at Seedley. Official notification that he was missing was received in August, and since then no information regarding him has been received. This week his wife has received official papers to fill up in order that she may receive her pension as a widow."

Charles Campbell's Medal Index Card shows that at the outbreak of War and entered France 16 August 1914. He was killed in action on 24 August. From the Regimental Roll it is apparent his was 2nd in command, under Captain Ernest Rae-Jones, of "D" Company and the two Officers died within a few yards of each other either side of the Audregnies to Elouges road.

In his book "Ever Glorious" Bernard Rigby describes the action at about 5 p.m. on the afternoon of 24th August:

"Maj. Chetwynd-Stapleton, now the senior regimental officer, realised the perilous position of B Company, bearing in mind the importance of Audregnies for the security of the left flank. He decided first to try to find Lt.Col. Boger and so at about 5 p.m. he set off up the road towards the right flank. Before doing so he left orders with Lt. Campbell to find out what had happened to Capt. Shore. The major's first encounter was with Sgt. Raynor who was just beginning the second withdrawal of his 9 platoon. Both learned much from each other, the consequence of which was that Sgt. Raynor was ordered to continue his retirement and Maj. Chetwynd-Stapleton returned to HQ. Here he discussed the situation with Capt. Dyer of A Company. Chetwynd-Stapleton was under the impression that Shore's two platoons were still holding Audregnies. In his sortie to find out what had happened to Shore, Campbell was killed."

Jack Horsfall and Nigel Cave's account of the Battle ("Mons - 1914" page 183) gives the place of Lieutenant Campbell's death as a small bridge over the railway line from Audregnies to Dour.

On the modern aerial view on the right this is approximately in the position of the car, at the junction of the old railway track and the road from Audregnies to Wiheries.